Should I Rewire My Old House in New Jersey?

If the electrical system doesn’t meet your town’s current building code, you might have to have consider rewiring your old house. And even if the house does have a certificate of occupancy and you can move right in, you still could be best off having the home rewired.

New Jersey’s housing stock is older than most states’ housing stock, which shouldn’t be a surprise when you compare the ages of our towns and neighborhoods to those in other regions across the country. Unfortunately,  the cost of rewiring an old house will become your responsibility after you purchase it.

You Might Have to Rewire a Home to Meet the Latest Building Codes

If your home’s electrical system is damaged to the point of being unusable or unsafe, you might need to have the home rewired in order to meet your town’s building code and obtain a certificate of occupancy.

There are many different reasons why a homeowner may be required to rewire an old house. The house may contain aluminum wires that crept away from their original locations in the years since they were installed. Aluminum wires are also prone to overheating, which can cause fires. If your home was built before the 1950s, it likely has knob and tube wiring. A well-maintained, updated knob and tube system is not necessarily dangerous, but the issue with these systems is that their wires lack grounds and are not compatible with three-pronged appliances if grounds were not added later.

 

Even if you Don’t Have to Rewire It, You Might Want To Anyway

Rewiring an old house can make your electrical system more efficient and safer for you and your family. Have an electrician or general contractor examine your home’s electrical system to determine if amateur repairs and alterations were made in the past. These can make a system unstable and unsafe. An inefficient system can also pose a hazard to your appliances by using too much electricity, which can potentially burn them out.

What Is the Cost of Rewiring an Old House?

Although rewiring an old home can be expensive, it can save you money in the long run by lowering your energy costs and helping you avoid costly repairs. The total cost of rewiring a house will depend on its size, the ease of the job, and whether there are additional challenges for the electrician. For houses between 1,500 and 3,000 square feet, the average rewiring cost is $8,000 to $15,000.

Get a Quote to Rewire an Old House

If a contractor tells you that you need to completely rewire your new home, it is important that you work with an experienced electrician who can safely install a well-functioning electrical system at a reasonable price. Talk to a few different electricians before choosing one to complete the job. To speak with an experienced electrician at Team Electric Plumbing & Air, contact us today to set up your initial consultation. Have a plumbing question? We also offer plumbing services such as boiler installation, water heater repair, sump pump installation, and water line repair.  Schedule an appointment to receive assistance.